---
title: A Tuneful Alternative to Beep-Beep-Beep
date: 2023-11-15T05:30:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/a-tuneful-alternative-to-beep-beep-beep"
section: Articles
---
# A Tuneful Alternative to Beep-Beep-Beep

*November 15, 2023* — by [Lucy Hubbard ’24](/author/lucy-hubbard-24)


> UMD Professor and Student Bring Sing-alongs to Children in Hospital

*UMMC Music Outreach 11102023 RS 4671 1920x1080 — Music education major Paige Peercy ’25 (right) sings to a young patient and her father at University of Maryland Children's Hospital in Baltimore, part of the newly established Terrapin Community Music School led by UMD School of Music Assistant Clinical Professor Allison Durbin ’15, Ph.D. ’23.*

When one unfamiliar adult began tuning her ukulele and another began warming up to sing, a 3-year-old girl in a pediatric unit of the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital (UMCH) peeked from under the covers of her hospital bed. As they played “You Are My Sunshine” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” she slowly lowered the blanket. Her respiratory issues kept her from singing with them, but she was soon bouncing her feet along to the songs.

She’s one of many children at the Baltimore hospital who’ve had their often-difficult days brightened by a fun sing-along session with University of Maryland, College Park Assistant Clinical Professor Allison Durbin ’15, Ph.D. ’23 and [music education](https://music.umd.edu/areas-of-study/music-education) major Paige Peercy ’25. The two began regularly playing music for the children in the hospital in September as an initiative within the newly established Terrapin Community Music School (TCMS).

“We have children who can't leave their room in a hospital, and we’re able to come to them and provide musical companionship and hopefully bring some levity to their day,” said Durbin, director of TCMS, which launched this fall to offer weekly instructional programs for community members of all ages.


*Pediatric hospital patient plays musical instrument on hospital bed — A young patient plays a musical instrument brought by Peercy.*



[Youtube Embed related to A Tuneful Alternative to Beep-Beep-Beep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2h0aeMkkzw?si=437l6g905rSOWwnA)





**Topics:** [Arts & Culture](https://today.umd.edu/tags/arts-culture)


**Tags:** [Music](https://today.umd.edu/topic/music), [Arts](https://today.umd.edu/topic/arts)


**Units:** [College of Arts and Humanities](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-arts-and-humanities)